Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-04-08
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


Written and compiled for the HERALD.
WASHINGTON, April 4th, 'S7.
The most important event of the
week at the Capital was the meet
ing and organization of the Inter.
State Commerce Commission, and
its entrance upon duty. Every
thing wears a look of activity at
the temporary headquarters of the
new court, which consist OF a suite
of rooms in a building on f street
Messengers are running to and fro
all day long, and the ante-room is
filed with a crowd OF people anX-
ious to interview the new officials.
The latter are having all the
trouble that was predicted would
be theirs, and that belongs to every
official who has the making of an
appointment. They are beseiged
with letters and personal apphca-
tons for Office from every state in
the Union. The first discussion Of
the Commissioners over that intri-
cate piece of legislation which they
are called upon to interpret, refer
red to the "Lon" and Short HauP
clause. Judge Cody, the Presl-
dent of the Commission, who is a
Republican, is admitted by the
other members to know more about
law and railroad matters than all
of them put together. Therefore
there was no contest over his cleo
ton to the Craftsmanship.
The National Drill committee is
now very busy. The entries have
all been closed, and now the work
of scheduling is being pushed as
fast as possible. Besides the COM
mands entered, regiments, battal-
lions, batteries of artillery, cadet
corps, zouave companies and a
large number of band and drum
corps, the number Of individual
competitors is estimated at about
1O6. and many more will contest in
the rife practice.
The committee of arrangements
is very sanguine that the coming
show will eclipse anything of the
kind that has ever occurred in this
country, and as to the telegram
from Montgomery, Alabama, in re-
gard to the color line question, they
think ii is exaggerated, and that
II will be overcome in time. Mr..
DeLeon, the secretary of the Drill
committee, is Of the opinion that
outside of Washington there is not
q colOred military company when
can raise enough money to make
the expensive trip, and If they can
do that, it would be difficult to
pass inspection.
Some weeks ago there were con-
lectures as to the disposition ofen-
tries known to come from colored
militia companies, many persons
intimating that if they were allow
ell to compete il would have the
tendency to keep out many of the
white organizations. AT that time
the manager said that all entries
received in proper form, duly sign
ed and recorded, should receive the
same attention, and that if the
Capital City Guards, Of Washing
ton, filed the requirements they
could compete just the same as the
famous Chickasaw Guards.
A National Drill could not make
a color requirement when the laws
of the country say otherwise. The
sequel of the news from Alabama
that the Greys and the True Blues
would withdraw from the Drill be-
cause of the entry Of three cOlored
companies has yet to be unrayeled,
but the hope is expressed at head
quarters that common sense will
prevail among the competing
Southern militia.
The promotion of Messrs. Fair
child and Maynard to be Secretary
and Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury, was received with express
sions of satisfaction from the en-
ployes of the department. More than
a thousand of their subOrdinatcs
called to express congratulations
and flowers, notes and kilograms
of congratulation have poured in.
Mr.. Fairchild, who has never been
an active politician, is exceedingly
popular with those under him. He
is very accessible too. He makes
q habit of keeping the door of bis
office open at all hours Of the day,
and sits with his face toward it,
There is constant complaint from
the sight.seers who are always
hurrying around Washington by
the thousands, that the Govern.
ment Departments are closed 20
visitors after O'Clock p. m. 1t IS
perfectly proper to exclude all call
ers during business hours, but none
Of the clerks are interfered with by
mere sight.seers. 1t is a serious
inconvenience and disappointment
sometimes to strangers who are
here only for a few days, and are
trying to see as much as possible
in that time, to be shut out SO early
in the day from many places Of in
terest.
Fall Of a MeteOTlte.
RALEIGH, n. g., April Sun
day morning a meteOric stone,